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Germany is considering banning flights from the UK and South Africa to prevent the spread of a new, more infectious strain of coronavirus circulating in the two countries, a source close to the German Health Ministry told AFP.
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Following the example of the Netherlands, where a ban on all passenger flights from the United Kingdom came into effect on Sunday, the German government was considering a similar measure as “a serious option” for flights from both Britain and South Africa, he said. the fountain.
A spokesman for the Health Ministry said the Berlin government was closely monitoring developments in Britain and working under “high pressure” to evaluate new information and data on the new strain.
Germany was in contact with its European partners, the spokesman said.
Belgium also announced a ban on all flights and trains from the UK.
The Dutch ban, from 06:00 (05:00 GMT) Sunday to January 1, came hours after Britain announced a stay-at-home order for part of the country to slow down the new variant, which according to British Health Secretary Matt Hancock it was out of control. “
In Germany, however, the new strain of the virus has so far not been detected, according to the chief virologist at Berlin’s Charite hospital, Christian Drosten, on Twitter.
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